As soon as I push open the door Sixer sits up from my bed perking up her ears.

Carter steps in and Sixer is off of the bed to Carter. Her eyes light up when she sees Sixer. She bends down to pet her. I close the door the loud music dulling to a low thud of the bass. Sixer holds her basketball Carter let her pick out from Pet Smart a few days ago. When Carter said she would help me pay for her, she didn't lie. She took her to Pet Smart and bought toys, food, a collar, a leash, literally everything. The leash even being a UNC basketball one. Sixer moves on from Carter and runs up to me sitting on her back paws.

"She loves you," Carter states as I bend down to pet her. I glance up at Carter tilting my head.

"Nah, we just kind of coexist," I tell her as I rub Sixer between the ears. She nuzzles my hand with her cold nose and I can't help but smile.

"Mhmm coexist," she says back to me with a smug smile on her face. I stand back up and walk over to her. She studies me cautiously her arms crossed on her chest. "What?"

"Nothing," I chuckle at her. I look over her face and her pushed-up tits due to her crossing her arms. I notice a small freckle on her collarbone as I trail my eyes back up to her face. She is still looking at me skeptically. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're confusing," she sighs. She sits down on the edge of my bed. I roll my eyes at her walking towards my mini-fridge. I have no idea how I am the confusing when she rarely every explains to me how she's feeling. I can read her like an open book but she will never just let me in. I grab two water bottles from the fridge and offer her one. Carter gives me a thankful look and grabs it.

"How?" I ask her. Sixer hops up onto the bed beside her. She gazes up at me unconsciously petting a very tired Sixer. I can see those walls building up behind her hazel eyes and I know she won't explain herself. She never does.

"So, why did you bring me up here?" she asks avoiding the question. I glance her over with a smirk shaking my head. "Can you stop looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" I ask her knowingly. She rolls her eyes at me flipping her hair behind her shoulder. Sixer rests her head on her thigh as Carter leans back looking around my room.

"You know exactly what," she states flicking her eyes back at me. She casts me a smirk back. A look on her face that is definitely tempting. But I didn't bring her up here for that. Matter of fact I brought her up here just to get away from the party. Don't get me wrong I love partying as much as the next guy but sometimes they get fucking ridiculous.

Especially here.

"That's not why I brought you here," I say standing up from the bed. Sixers head pops up as she hops off the bed wagging her tail to her water bowl. Carter raises an eyebrow at me as I extend a hand. Her face reads all types of surprise as she glances at my hand. As much as I want to fuck her, it isn't my intention.

At the moment.

"I swear to god if you murder me, I will haunt your ass," she warns. I chuckle at her as she takes my hand. I glance at the rings that scatter her fingers before pulling her up. As soon as she stands up she releases my hand and adjusts her jeans on her hips.

"I'm not going to murder you," I tell her. I watch as she tucks her brown hair behind her ears. "Yet."

She glares at me lightly shoving me away. I laugh again moving around her towards my open window. She and Sixer watch me as I nod my head at the window.

"Yup, this is where it ends," she says. Carter follows me anyways. I roll my eyes at her as she glances outside. I step in front of her and climb out of the window onto the rooftop. I glance behind me and she is staring at me wide-eyed.

"Promise it's safe," I say reading her mind. She glances at the roof then at me before saying some type of curse word. She leans down and climbs in next to me. I move over for her and smile. I knew I wanted this room as soon as I saw that I could sit on the roof.

This side of the house flattens over our patio and is my favorite spot to clear my head from any type of bullshit. Especially when there's a party being thrown by my roommates.

"So, why are we up here instead of downstairs?" she asks looking down at the people scattering our lawn. There are only a few people down there, a couple who seems to be trying to leave and a group of girls.

"I just wasn't in the mood tonight," I say shrugging my shoulders. I lean back onto my hands looking over at Carter. She has brought her legs up to her chest as she looks over the skyline.

"I get that, there's definitely some nights I just don't feel up to the party," she states looking away from the lights. Her brown eyes show understanding and something else that I can't identify. She lays her cheek on her knees looking study me.

"Why don't you trust me?" I ask her. The words come out of my mouth before I can even stop them. I'm not even sure why I said it. I honestly, usually, couldn't careless if a girl trusted me. Now I apparently do care. It's annoying that I care. Sometimes I think she does trust me and then other days I can see the walls she builds behind her brown eyes. Carter takes a deep breath and glances up the night sky.

"Because, you seem like a guy I shouldn't trust," she says. Her eyes stay trained to the sky but her voice is strong. I would give anything to see those hazel eyes right about now. This conversation is way too serious for us. It's weird. 

"Shouldn't or wouldn't?" I ask her. She's probably right. I know my reputation is not great. I know I can be a dick to girls. Carter isn't dumb, she doesn't ignore the rumors she has heard about me like other girls do. 

"Hm, definitely shouldn't. You might be breaking me down though," she says. Carter finally turns to look at me, her eyes darker in the night. A smile breaks out onto her face as she stretches out her legs in front of her. "What do you want to know?"

I smile back at her before looking away. I feel like if I look at her for too long I'll get sucked under her spell. Carter has that way about her. She knows how to suck people in and her scent is like a drug. She nudges my shoulder with her own. 

"You are always probing me with questions and now you are silent? C'mon," she says from beside me.

"Why North Carolina?" I ask her. I remember hearing she wasn't from North Carolina. I am pretty sure is from somewhere in New England which is why I want to know. 

"My dad, he loves UNC. He always has, actually my whole family does," she says. A light look crosses her face when she mentions her family. I noticed it at the tattoo parlor too. She loves talking about them. 

"Now I really understand why you talk to me," I joke. She snaps her head in my direction and lightly pushes my shoulder. 

"Shut up," she laughs. I laugh lightly too because I really doubt that's why she talks to me. I feel a tightness in my chest as I watch her become so calm when talking about her family. I think it's jealousy maybe? Jealous because my sperm donor has to be such a dick. It angers me that whenever someone mentions my family I go on fight mode. I just wish it would be as easy for me as it is for Carter. My brother and my mom are two people I can talk about with a lightness but even then it's a touchy subject. 

I clear my throat, "Are you and your Dad close?" 

"Now we are. It wasn't always like it though, we use to fight all the time when I was in high school but I think it's because we are so alike," Carter explains. I swallow. I don't ever want to think I am like my Father. I don't want to be. I know our fights and him being an asshole to be aren't because we are alike. I know that but the thought creeps into my head from time to time. Especially when I am being a dick for no good reason. A beautiful trait I definitely got from him 

Carter continues, "Now we are. We bond over sports and music. Especially when I played soccer." 

"You played soccer?" I ask her surprised. I really shouldn't be considering she looks like she would be a good athlete. I make a mental note to see if I can find one of her old games later. 

"Yeah I know hard to believe," she laughs. 

"Why aren't you playing in college?" I ask her. She winces. 

"Tore my ACL and MCL my senior year. After that, I really didn't want to have to endure that again'" she says laughing at the thought. I wince at thought of tearing both my MCL and ACL. I bend my knee subconsciously and wince again. I know that hurt. 

"Holy shit," I whistle shaking my head at the thought. She laughs nodding her head at me.

"Oh yeah, it felt amazing," she laughs shaking her head. I don't know how she is so nonchalant about tearing two ligaments in her knee and that they ended her soccer career. "Have you ever severely injured yourself playing basketball?"

"Broken multiple fingers and my arm but, luckily, that's it," I tell her. She nods her head at me in a calm way. That's my biggest fear honestly. Having a career ending injury like she did. Carter holds it so well. I don't know he she does that. I have been asking myself that a lot around her. Carter and I continue talking about random things we can think about. I can tell the party below us is still raging on but we don't care. It's nice having this conversation with her. A normal conversation. She tells me that she loves otters and that she is not a big fan of driving. I tell her that I am big fan of the Knicks and a little bit about why I play basketball.

Silence falls over us. It's comfortable and makes me want to never leave this roof. Carter shifts from beside me and glances behind her. She stares at the window before looking back at me.

"We should probably head back to the party." Carter nods her head towards the window. The guys have turned up the music and voices downstairs have gotten even louder. I silently nod my head at her in agreement. Even though I really don't want to leave the roof or this conversation. I climb through the window first. I stand back onto my floor and offer Carter a hand to help her step back into my room. She ducks under the window placing a foot on the windowsill. I watch as her foot slips and she lets out a yelp. Brown hair and arms flailing, she takes me down with her. I hit the floor hard with an 'oof.'

"Oh my God, I am so sorry," Carter says in a rushed tone. I squeeze my eyes shut and release a breath. Damn that hurt. I can tell Carter is trying really hard not to laugh. 

"Jesus, you couldn't have fallen in a worse way," I say. I feel her shift above me making me intake a breath. She has got to stop fucking moving. Carter releases a smile laugh and as do I. Sixer barks at us as she hops off of the bed and towards us. Sixer licks the side of my face making Carter laugh again. 

"I really am sorry," she says again. Her palms lay flat against my chest as my heart races in my chest.

"As much as I enjoy having you on top, I'm going to need you to stop moving," I say with a smirk. Carter moves to smack my shoulder but I catch her wrist.

"Jerk," she laughs. Carter rolls off of my chest and lays flat on her back beside me. I release a laugh as Sixer curls up into a ball between us. I glance at Carter and she is already looking at me. Her freckles scatter her face and her hazel eyes are a shade darker than before. "Alright, Asher, let's go."

She gets up quickly offering me a hand. I accept it, even though I don't need it, as I stand up. I want to kiss her and just stay here with her, even if we don't hook up. I can't tell if that's what she wants or if it's just me who feels this. Carter side steps me before I can do anything but my brain thinks quicker.

I lightly grab her wrist, turning her around. She doesn't seem shocked at all. I grab her face with my other hand and kiss her. She doesn't pull away or push me away. Her body fits against mine as she wraps her arms around my neck deepening the kiss. I let go of her wrist and wrap my arm around her small waist. Her kiss is fucking insane and makes all holy thoughts fly out of my head. I pull her impossibly closer to me as I slide my tongue past her lips. Her coconut smell is all around me as I take in as much of her as I can. 

She pulls away from me all too soon and smirking, "Oh and to think that you weren't gonna make a move."

I roll my eyes at her but a smile crosses my face. Carter smiles too and I lean down again kissing her lips quickly. I could really stay up here all night and kiss her. I know we have to go back downstairs to our friend but God, I don't want to. 

"Guess we should go back down," I say to her. 

Carter shyly nods her head. Her eyes read that she wants to stay her just as much as I want to. My chest swells at the thought and I nearly shut the door so we can do just that. Carter grabs my hand from her waist and interlocks our fingers. 

"Let's go."